1 • INTRODUCTION

For at least a thousand years, Swahili people, who call themselves
Waswahili, have occupied a narrow strip of coastal land extending from
the north coast of Kenya to Dar es Salaam (the capital of Tanzania).
They also occupy several nearby Indian Ocean islands, including
Zanzibar, Lamu, and Pate. Over the past few hundred years, the coastal
area has been conquered and colonized several times—by Portuguese
in the sixteenth century, by Middle Eastern Arabs who ran a slave trade
in the nineteenth century, and by the British in the twentieth century.
Thus, Swahili people are accustomed to living with strangers in their
midst, and they have frequently acted as middlemen in trade relations.
In addition, they have incorporated many people and practices into their
vibrant social world.

Swahili are all Muslims. They became Muslim through the influence of
people coming from the north and also from across the Indian Ocean. They
have forged extensive economic, political, and social ties with Middle
Eastern Muslims.

During the colonial period and since independence in the early 1960s,
Swahili people have been a minority Muslim population in the secular
states of Kenya and Tanzania.

2 • LOCATION

The deep harbors along the east African coast have long sustained a
profitable fishing and shipping economy. The lush coastal plain provides
a fertile environment for growing coconut palms, fruit trees, spices,
and mangrove in swamp areas. Today, Swahili people live primarily in the
urban areas of Lamu, Malindi, Mombasa, Tanga (mainland Tanzania), the
island of Zanzibar, and Dar es Salaam.

Hundreds of Swahili people left for the Middle East after the Zanzibar
Revolution in 1964. Over the past several decades, thousands have
migrated to the Middle East, Europe, and North America largely for
economic reasons. The Swahili population is about half a million.

3 • LANGUAGE

KiSwahili, the Swahili language, is widely spoken across East Africa.
For most Kenyans and Tanzanians, KiSwahili is learned as a second
language. Swahili people speak KiSwahili as their "mother
tongue," and it reflects their mixed origins and complex history.
The language includes many words borrowed from Arabic (and other
languages), yet its grammar and syntax place it in the Bantu language
family, which has roots on the African continent. Like many Kenyans,
Swahili people also use English in their daily interactions,
particularly in schools, government offices, and the tourist industry.

4 • FOLKLORE

Myths and heroes are generally from Islamic sources. For example, many
people tell short, moralistic tales based on the Prophet
Muhammad's life.

5 • RELIGION

Being Swahili is inextricably connected to being Muslim. Swahili Muslims
recognize the five pillars of faith that are basic to Islamic practice
worldwide: 1) belief in Allah as the Supreme Being and in Muhammad as
the most important prophet; 2) praying five times a day; 3) fasting from
dawn to dusk during the month of Ramadan; 4) giving charity; and 5)
making a pilgrimage
(hajj)
to the holy city of Mecca, if feasible. For Swahili people, Islam
encompasses more than just spiritual beliefs and practices; Islam is a
way of life.

6 • MAJOR HOLIDAYS

Swahili people celebrate the nation's secular (nonreligious)
public holidays. These include, in Kenya, Jamhuri Day and Madaraka Day,
which mark the steps toward Kenya's Independence in the early
1960s. In Tanzania, secular holidays are Labor Day (May 1), Zanzibar
Revolution Day (January 12);
Nane Nane
(formerly
Saba Saba—
Farmer's Day, in August); Independence Day (December 9); and
Union Day (April 26), which commemorates the unification of Zanzibar and
the mainland.

For Muslims, the most important holidays are religious.
Eid al-Fitr
marks the end of the month of Ramadan.
Eid al-Hajj
celebrates the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca. Each Eid is celebrated by
praying, visiting relatives and neighbors, and eating special foods and
sweets. During the month of Ramadan, Swahili (along with all other)
Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.
Maulidi,
or the Prophet Muhammad's birthday, is widely celebrated by
Muslims.

7 • RITES OF PASSAGE

There are no specific rites of passage for children or teens. Birthday
parties, increasingly popular, include eating cake, disco dancing, and
opening presents. Graduation ceremonies mark a young person's
educational progress.

Marriage marks the transition to adulthood. Marriages are usually
arranged by
parents. A young woman cannot get married without her father's
permission, but she has the right to refuse someone chosen for her.
Weddings can include several days of separate celebrations for men and
women. Only men attend the actual marriage vows, which take place in a
mosque. A male relative represents the bride.

8 • RELATIONSHIPS

Swahili people are as likely to greet one another with the Arabic
greeting
Asalaam Aleikhum
as they are to say
Jambo,
the common KiSwahili greeting. People who know each other exchange a
string of greetings inquiring about the health of family members and the
latest news. Children greet an elder with respect by kissing his or her
hand.

Swahili people greatly value modest behavior. Men and women are not
permitted to mix freely. Dating is generally non-existent. Most people
pursue their daily activities with others of the same gender. Women are
encouraged to congregate at home, while men spend time in public places.

9 • LIVING CONDITIONS

Houses vary depending on a family's means and the type of town in
which they reside. "Stone towns," like Lamu and Mombasa,
are characterized by large stone houses, some divided into apartments.
Some Swahili people living in "country towns" still occupy
houses made of hardened mud and stones, although these are less common
than houses of stone or coral. Most homes have electricity, indoor
plumbing, several bedrooms, and a living room furnished with a couch and
chairs. Access to water is critical for Muslims who must wash before
prayers. In comparison with many people in Kenya, Swahili people enjoy a
relatively high standard of living.

10 • FAMILY LIFE

Under Islam, husbands and fathers have authority in the home. They can
make decisions for wives and daughters and compel them to behave
properly to preserve the family's honor. But Swahili women also
wield considerable power in the daily life of the family.

The average number of children in each family has declined from as many
as fourteen children early in the twentieth century to three or four
children by the late 1990s. Women who have been educated and/or work
outside the home tend to limit births. Residents of an individual
household might include many people beyond the immediate family, such as
grandparents, nieces and nephews, and in-laws.

11 • CLOTHING

In the early twentieth century, women generally wore brightly colored
cotton cloths (
kanga
or
leso
). These were wrapped around their waists and upper bodies and draped
over their shoulders and heads. Men wore a striped cloth (
kikoi
) around the waist that hung to the knees. As a mark of being Muslim
some men sported small white caps with elaborate tan embroidery.

Dressing well but modestly is highly valued. Women wear Western-style
dresses in many colors, patterns, and fabrics. Outside the house, women
wear a black, floor-length cloak with an attached veil, called a
buibui.
Men wear Western-style
trousers and shirts. On Fridays (the Muslim day of rest), or other
religious occasions, they wear long, white caftans. Shorts are worn only
by children.

Recipe

Sweet Tea with Milk

Ingredients

2 teaspoons loose, black tea

1 cup milk (whole or 2 percent)

1 cup water

2 teaspoons (or more) sugar

Pinch of ground ginger

Pinch of ground cardamon

Directions

Combine tea, milk, and water in a saucepan. Heat until the mixture
is just beginning to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5
minutes, stirring constantly.

Increase the heat and bring the mixture just to the boiling point
again. Stir in sugar (at least 2 teaspoons) and the ginger and
cardamon.

To serve, pour tea through a strainer into cups.

12 • FOOD

Swahili cuisine, which is highly spiced, has African, Middle Eastern,
and Indian influences. Rice, the staple, is cooked with coconut milk and
served with tomato-based meat, bean, or vegetable stews. Meals
incorporate locally-available vegetables (egg-plant, okra, and spinach),
fruits (mangoes, coconuts, pineapples), and spices (cloves, cardamon,
hot pepper). Fish is also central to the diet. Chicken and goat meat are
popular for holiday meals. Sweet tea with milk (see accompanyig recipe)
is served several times a day.

Swahili, like all Muslims, are prohibited from eating pork or drinking
alcohol. The members of one clan from northern Kenya observe a taboo on
eating fish.

13 • EDUCATION

Through Islam, literacy (the ability to read and write) came to the East
African coast much earlier than to most other parts of the continent.
Knowing how to read the Koran (Islam's holy book) is important.
Some people are literate in Arabic as well as KiSwahili. Those who have
been to secular school are literate in English as well.

Young people today tend to finish primary school, and some go on to
secondary school. Most parents, particularly in urban areas, recognize
the value of education in preparing their children for employment.
Families vary as to whether they believe that girls should be educated
as extensively as boys.

14 • CULTURAL HERITAGE

Taarab
music, which has distinctly Arabic origins, is performed at weddings
and concerts. Band members play keyboards, flutes, brass instruments,
and drums to accompany singers. Many KiSwahili lyrics are double
entendres (having double meanings) that hint at romantic love.

Several women's dance groups perform at weddings for all-female
audiences. They dance
chakacha,
which resembles belly
dancing, and also
lelemama,
a very subtle dance with tiny hand movements.

KiSwahili oral literature includes songs, sayings, stories, and riddles.
The main written form is poetry. KiSwahili poems include long epics,
prayers, and meditations on many subjects.

15 • EMPLOYMENT

Some Swahili still fish, farm, and trade as they did in previous
generations. However, the difficult local economy has meant that many
people are unemployed or dependent on the unpredictable tourist
industry. Educated men and women enter the civil service (government
administration) and work in offices, shops, and schools. Although
husbands are obligated to provide for their families, many wives earn
money through cooking food, sewing, or trading from their homes.

16 • SPORTS

Few adults play sports. Many boys join soccer teams and play in hotly
contested competitions. Soccer matches involving Kenyan regional teams
or local boys' clubs provide rare, exciting entertainment, mostly
for men. In school, girls play sports such as net-ball (similar to
basketball) and track. Children are sometimes taken to swim at the
ocean.

17 • RECREATION

Weddings and holiday celebrations are the most important forms of
entertainment. Traveling to and from weddings, people sing songs and
celebrate with vigor.

Watching videos is a favorite pastime, especially for women and young
people. Action films from Japan, romances from India, Islamic epics, and
detective stories from the United States are popular. If a video
contains love scenes, an adult might fast-forward to protect the modesty
of those present. Local and foreign soap operas, news, and sports are
popular on television. On the weekends, young people sometimes go to
discos, and women enjoy walking on the beach or going for a picnic.

18 • CRAFTS AND HOBBIES

Artisans on the island of Lamu are famous for their intricately carved
wooden furniture and doors. They also construct miniature, painted
replicas of the boats (
dhows
) used for fishing. Young boys play with these at the shore. Women use
brown colored henna to paint complex flower designs on their hands and
feet (up to the knees) as preparation for attending a wedding. The
color, which stains the skin and nails, lasts for several weeks.

19 • SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Swahili view the declining economy and erosion of their culture by
tourism as significant social problems. Tourists who walk around in
immodest clothing (such as shorts and bikinis), drink alcohol in public,
and encourage loose behavior among young people have threatened the
proper Islamic life that many Swahili people struggle to maintain.

Swahili face some discrimination by Kenyans who have resented their
connection to the slave trade and their ties to Middle Eastern wealth.
Their role in
Kenyan politics, though marginal, is increasing as Kenya moves forward
in multiparty democracy.

A worrisome problem is the growing prevalence of marijuana use among
young men, which is condemned as antisocial. However, chewing
miraa
, a plant grown locally that contains a mild stimulant, is regarded as
an acceptable social activity.

It is good to know that swahili history is available. I found such information: educational, entertaining, and interesting. Keep up, us, up to dated, with more current information. I appreciate such effort.

Thank you. I am doing a project on the swahili people and needed information. this was the only site i could find that had good information. Thank you.
P.S. If it is possible could you elaborate on the traditional rituals of the swahili tribe?
Thanks again

Hi I m Matthews I would like to know more about Swahili Trandition and more the reason for to ask this is I am a tranditional healer I have my Page on facebook Matthews Tranditional Healer Sangoma I have people that are Swahili in South African the want to know more they trandition and please give me more information to help them pls and thanks

Your information about the Swahili people was very helpful,especially when I was just doing a project in history. This website is the best I've ever seen during any project in the past. Thank you so much. Plus I'm very impressed with how you know what people are going to look for.

I really love all this culture and history about the Swahili People. I read a book and it had people like this in it, and now I really want to go to Africa and meet some of these people. I am doing a report on them and this really helped with some fact and A LOT of information.
Thanks

Thank you for the article. I agree with some of the facts, however, as I was born in Tanzania and lived there for most of my youth I disagree with the facts about women and their activities. Today, as of 2016 - Tanzania is very modern and open to women working in executive positions, playing sports - kite surfing, football (soccer) and in the medical field. A number of the girls that I grew up with are physicians, peaditricians, etc.. Perhaps, you may wish to include some facts about Tanzania as it is today.

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